Card time recorder



y 1941- T. E. TORKELSON 2,240,587

CARD TIME RECORDER Filed Sept. 14, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY May 6, 1941. T. E. TORKELSON 2,240,587

CARD TIME RECORDER ATTORNEY T. E. TORKELSON 2,240,587

CARD TIME RECORDER May 6, 1941.

Filed Sept. 14, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 PIC-3.4.

M EM

A'ETORNEY y 1941. T. E. TQRKELSON 2,240,587

CARD TIME RECORDER Filed Sept. 14, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGS. FIG] NAME NVENTOR ATro Patented May 6, 1941 CARD TIME RECORDER Torkel Edwin Torkelson,

to International tion, New York, N. York Baldwin, N. Y., assignor Business Machines Corporaa. corporation 01! New Application September 14, 1938, Serial No. 229,823

Claims.

The present invention relates to time recorders and more particularly to time recorders in which a record is made on a card automatically upon the insertion of the card into printing position.

It is proposed according to the invention to provide a simple form of time recorder which is particularly adapted for keeping the attendance records of school children. The operation of the device is made easy by arranging mechanism which will automatically print a time record on a card in response to the mere insertion of the card into the machine. The printed record prepared by the machine is simplified to a degree which makes it intelligible to very young children. Any on time record is made by simply printing an asterisk or star on the card regardless of the time of day at which it is made. Tardiness of a few minutes is recorded by printing another simple symbol, for example, a T. More serious tardiness, for example, tardiness of more than five minutes is recorded by printing the number of minutes which the pupil is late in multiples of five. It is preferred to arrange the record so that attendance for a complete month may be recorded on a single card, one line being assigned to each day. This arrangement makes it possible to check a months complete attendance by merely glancing at the card.

The recorder is made simple in structure and cheap to manufacture by novel arrangements of mechanisms to properly locate the card according to the day of the month and to cause the insertion of the card to operate printing devices to make a record on the card. Preferably, an endless tape or belt is provided which is moved in steps, day by day, and which carries projections to act as stops to govern the extent to which a card may be inserted into the machine. The same projections or stops cooperate with the card to efiect operation of the printing mechanism in response to a very slight pressure of the card against them.

It is an object of this invention to provide a time recorder for indicating the elapsed amount of time a person is late in registering after each of a plurality of preselected times up to a predetermined amount of elapsed time.

Another object is to provide a time recorder {or printing data on a card automatically upon the insertion of the card into printing position during each of a plurality of intervals comprised of a predetermined period of time prior to each of a plurality of preselected times and a predetermined period of time thereafter, said recorder being inoperative in between said intervals.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a time recorder for printing data on a card in which an endless tape is used for positioning the card in printing position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a time recorder for printing data on a card in which an endless tape is used for positioning the card and for causing the printing means to be operated.

The latter object more specifically includes the provision of a resilient support for the tape to be moved in response to pressure exerted on the card and means operable by movement of the support to effect a printing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a time recorder which indicates on time registrations in non-time indicating indicia. and tardy registrations during a predetermined elapsed time by another non-time indicating indicia and which indicates late registrations made after said tardy registrations in time indicating indicia. denoting time elapsed from the preselected time set for on time."

It is a further object to provide a time recorder for printing data characteristic of certain periods of time on a card in which identical data may be printed for different periods of time whereby the different periods may be differentiated only by the position of the printed data on the card.

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawings; and the invention also constitutes certain new and novel features of the construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine with a portion thereof in section.

Fig. 2 is a side View along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the direction of rotation of various gears and wheels indicated by arrows.

Fig. 3 is a detail showing a partial section along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail of a portion of the machine showing the relation of the time controlled switches and the card actuated switch as viewed along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of type on the typewheel.

Fig. 6 illustrates a typical card record.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram showing certain rethe cam 43, the arm 36 is shifted on the spindle lated parts diagrammatically. I2 thereby moving the typewheel to the left or Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, a U-shaped right according to the position of the cam 48. In supporting frame I83 is provided with its open Fig. 1 the typewheel is shown in its extreme right side to the front and having flanges extending positi n. outwardly to which is secured a front plate IOI The typewheel 35 is provided with notches 48 by means of studs 8 which have threaded ends between adjacent type characters, which are entering threaded holes in the flanges. The adapted to receive the pointed end 49 of an armaouter ends of the studs are drilled and threaded ture lever 58 pivoted at 52 and associated with a to receive screws 8 which hold the outer case or 10 magnet 53 attached to the supporting frame by a housing It in position. Spacing collars II are bracket 54. When the magnet 53 becomes enerfixed to the back of the supporting plate I33 gized the armature 58 is moved to the left and having holes through the center thereof in alignthe point 49 engages one of the notches of the ment with holes n he c 1 h Pl e o typewheel 35 moving the whole type wheel to the ceive mounting screws for suitably fastening the left against the ribbon l8 to effect printing on a reeorde oas pporting structurecard inserted in the machine. The typewheel The front plate ll is spaced. by Sui /able and its bearing 34 swing about the axis of the means such as shims. from the turne o t fl n s spindle I2 and by Virtue of the pin and slot conof the U-shaped supporting structure I33 sufilnection 38 and 38 cause the spindle 12 to turn. ciently to permit a record card to be inserted into This rotation of spindle 12 moves the arm 13 to the machine with the edges of the record card cause the pawl l4 to engage another tooth in the sliding in this space which serves as a card guideratchet wheel i5, whereby the ribbon is fed upon way. This space is indicated in Fig.2 by the refthe return of the arm iii. A spring 18 is conerence numeral IS. A card receiver 28 is fixed to nected to the arm i3 and anchored to an ear 83 the housing 13 adjacent an aperture 2| and the 2: turned out from the supporting frame 180 to recard receiver and aperture are held in the plane turn the arm 13 and typewheel 35 to their normal of the card guideway I! when the housing is iaspositions after printing has been effected. A tened in place. limit stop 55 fixed to the supporting frame limits A spindle I2 is Journaled in the supporting the return movement of the arm I3. A leaf frame of the machine and has an upturned porspring No returns lever 50 as soon as magnet 53 tion [3 which carries at its upper end a pawl 14 is deenergized.

cooperating with a ratchet wheel 15 which is fixed It is to be noted that during the printing operato the ribbon spool IS. A similar ribbon spool tion while point 48 is engaged with a notch 48 a is mounted on the opposite side of the maon the typewheel, the typewheel will be held chine. These spools are rotatably supported by against rotation about its center. Therefore. if extensions l1 formed from the plate Hi1 and magnet 21 should release arm 25 to effect movecarry an endless two-colored ribbon I I. ment of ratchet 22, and consequently the type- A ratchet wheel 22 is fixed to a bushing 23 wheel, while printing was in progress, the spring which is rotatably mounted on spindle 12. A 23 could not turn the ratchet until the printing spring pawl 24 cooperates with the ratchet wheel was over, thereby avoiding blurring the print. and the pawl is fixed to the armature 25 which is Carried on an insulated bracket 81 mounted on pivoted at 26 and associated with the magnet 21. frame 108 is a switch including a contact carrying Another spring pawl 18 engages ratchet 22 to spring 82 (Fig. 3) and a contact arm 83. Thus prevent its turning when pawl 24 is moved downwhen the typewheel is moved to effect printing, ward to engage another tooth. A leaf spring 28 spring 82 will be moved to separate the contacts. which passes through a slot in the supporting Four pulley wheels 55, 51, 58 and 59 are prostructure I3! is fixed to armature 25 to normally vided over which an endless tape 60 is passed. force the spring pawl 24 upward the uppermost The pulley wheels 56, 51 and 58 are rotatably position of the pawl being fixed by wedging acmounted on spindles carried by the supporting tion between a tooth of the ratchet wheel and a frame. Wheel 58 is pivotally mounted on a stud limit stop 23. The magnet 21 is mounted on a GI carried by one arm 62 of a bell crank pivoted supporting bracket 33 fixed to the frame I". on a stud 53 mounted on the A gear 3| is also mounted on the bushing 23 The other arm 54 of the bell crank carries a pin and meshes with a gear 32 which is secured to a 55 of suitable insulation which bears against a shaft 33 journaled in a bearing 34, said shaft 55 leaf spring 56. This spring biases the bell also having a typewheel 35 fixed thereto. The crank in a. clockwise direction to keep the tape bearing 34 is integral with an arm 33 having 38 taut. The wheel 58 is provided with sprocket a second bearing 31 integral with its opposite end pins 61 which engage holes 68 disposed along the bearing 31 is provided with a slot 38 cooperating 60 move the tape when the wheel 58 is driven. A

mits the bearing 31 to be moved longitudinally ed by a pawl 10. The pawl 10 has a V- of and relative to the spindle I2 .but any rotary shaped end which engages an annular groove 11 motion of said bearing about th axis of-the spinin the bushing 23 and is slidable therein. The die I! will cause the spindle to rotate with it. as upper n f the p wl 10 res s on the stud 12 On one face of the gear 3| is mounted a cam which also acts as a limit stop and means for member 43 which cooperates with a roller cam lo k n he ra chet wheel 6 A spring pawl 13 wiper 4i mounted on one end of a. lever 42. This engages the ratchet Wheel 59 o prevent its turnlever is pivoted at 43 and biased in a counternf; wh n he pawl 10 is moved upward to enga e clockwise direction by a spring 44 fastened to a 70 an advance tooth oi. the ratchet wheel. An Offpost 45 on the lever and to the side frame of the set "integral wit the pawl 10 and disposed in supporting structure. The upper end of lever 42 the orbit of a cam member 15 is adapted to be is provided with a pin 43 which engages a slot engaged periodically by this cam member as it in a projection 41 integral with the arm 38. rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed When the lever 42 is oscillated about its pivot by in Fig. 2. The pawl 18 is biased to the left and I in a counterclockwise direction by a spring I9 the pawl I to the right and the spring I6 causes it to pivot about the spindle I2 to engage the next tooth of the ratchet wheel 69 and as the cam member passes the spring 16 retracts the pawl I0 to advance the ratchet wheel 69 and therefore the sprocket wheel 58 to move the tape 60. 7

Leaf spring 66 is mounted on bracket 84 as are arms 85 and 66 on each side of spring 66 and these arms carry contacts for cooperation with contacts carried by the spring, the bracket 84 being secured to the frame. Thus, movement of spring 66 back and forth by arm 64 of the bell crank will cause switch 6685 to be closed and then opened as switch 66-86 is closed for purposes which will be explained in connection with the wiring diagram. A pin 81 is fixed to the side of the frame and serves as a limit stop for arm 64.

Three abutments 88 are carried on tape 60 which passes along the card guideway between wheels 56 and 59, as can be seen in Fig. 2. These abutments are spaced so that one of them, but only one, will always be in said guideway. As the record card is inserted through receiver 20 it is guided by leaf spring 89a between the ribbon and the front plate and downward alongside the tape 60 until the bottom of the card engages one of the abutments 88. Thereafter a slight pressure downward on the card will cause arm 64 to be swung against stop 81 closing switch 66-86 which will effect printing on the card as it is held in position by abutment 88.

Referring to Fig. 6, a record card 89 will have certain data preprinted thereon including three vertical columns 90, 9I and 92 headed Day, A. M. and P. M., respectively, and in the clay column are listed numbers corresponding to the days in the month. In each of the other columns, a space is provided on each numbered day line in which a registration is to be made. The move-v ment of tape 60 is so timed that each day the abutment 88 in the card guideway will be moved upward one step to position the card for printing on the proper day line. The machine illustrated is designed to use one card a month or 31 steps of the tape. At the end of months having less than 31 days, the tape may be moved ahead manually to provide a proper initial day printing position for the next month.

A ribbon guide 93 is attached to the end of lever 94 which is pivoted at its other end on frame I00. A cam 95 is carried by the typewheel and is positioned to engage lever 94 and lift the two colored ribbon.

Two pins 96 and 91 are fixed 180 degrees apart on ratchet 22 and during the rotation thereof. they engage two cams 98 and 99 (Fig. 4) carried on the ends of leaf springs I02 and I03, respectively. The springs I02 and I03 are mounted on insulated bracket I04 secured to the frame. Arms I05 and I06 are likewise mounted on the bracket I04 and extend along each side of sprin I02. Contacts are carried by arms I05 and I06 and spring I02 in such a manner that switch I02-I05 is normally closed but enga ement of cam 98 by either pin 96 or 91 will open that switch and close switch I02-I06.

Contact arm I01 is mounted alongside of spring I03 and its contact is normally engaged with one carried by said spring but is separated therefrom when cam 99 is engaged by either pin 96 or 91.

The portion of cam I5 adjacent to ratchet 22 is cut down to prevent operation of cams 98 and 99 thereby.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is designed for use as an attendance recorder in which a plurality of preselected times during the day are set for on time registrations, for example, 9 a. m. and l p. In. The machine is so arranged that from 8 a. m. through 9 a. m. a blue asterisk will be printed in the a. In. column; from 9:01 through 9:04 a. m. a blue T will be printed; from 9:05 a. .m. through 9:55 a. m. the elapsed amount of time in steps of five minutes will be printed in red; and at 9:56 a. m. the machine will become inoperative and remain so until 12 noon at which time the sequence will be repeated with the printing being done in the p. m. column on the cards. A typical series of registrations is shown in Fig. 6 from which it can be seen that the individual to which that card was assigned registered between 8 a. m. and 9 a. m. every day except the 6th, 17th and 28th on which days he registered between 9:05 and 9:09; 9:10 and 9:14; 9:15 and 9:19, respectively. Further, he registered between 12 noon and 1 p. m. every day except the 3rd and the 20th on which days he registered between 1:01 and 1:04; 1:05 and 1:09, respectively.

To accomplish the aforementioned sequence, the type wheel has sixty divisions, each division carrying type as shown in Fig. 5 and appearing successively in the printing position at the rate of one division per minute between 9:01 and 9:59 a. m. and 1:01 and 1:59 p. m. in accordance with the electrical circuits which will now be de-' scribed.

Referring to Fig. 7, the recorder is adapted to be tapped on to a secondary clock system indicated at I08. The secondary clock has the usual A and B negative leads and the C positive lead from the master clock. The master and secondary clock systems employing these three leads are common and well known in the art and it is believed sufficient for present purposes to state that single electrical impulses are received once each minute from the master clock over leads C and A or B with the exception of certain abnormal faster impulses received between the 59th and 60th minutes for synchronization purposes when the secondary clock is slow.

Wire I09 is tapped into the secondary clock to connect with the negative leads A or B as the case might be; wire H0 is tapped to the positive C lead; and the main negative lead I I I is brought in for use in the recorder. The positions of the switches and cams shown in Fig. 7 are those oc cupied from 8 a. in. through 9 a. m., with the asterisk on the typewheel in position to print in the a. m. column and with the cam on the typewheel engaging lever 94 to bring the blue por tion of the ribbon into printing position. A circuit is then complete from wire I I0 through wires H2 and H3, closed switch 8283, wire II4, release magnet II5, wire II6 to negative lead III. There is also a circuit from wire I I0 through wire I I2, closed switch 66--85, wires I I1 and I I4, magnet II5, wire II6 to lead III. MagnetIIS forms a part of a control relay which also comprises switch I20-I2I, the closing of the latter switch by the energization of ma net II5 being a condition precedent to the preparation or release of print magnet 53 for operation by circuits presently to be described. If a card is now inserted in the machine, arm 64 will swing spring 66 to the right breaking'switch 66-85 and making switch 66-86.

Although the circuit through switch 66-85 and magnet H6 is thus broken, the magnet will still remain energized through switch 8283. making or switch 66-86 will complete a circuit from wire Ill through wire H2, switch 66-", wire Ill, closed switch lib-III, wire H6, print release switch l2l-l2l held closed by magnet Ill, wire I22, magnet 63, wires I28 and I" to lead III. This latter circuit energizes magnet 63 which pulls lever 66 to the left to move the typewheel and effect printing. Movement of the typewheel will open switch "-83, deenergizing magnet H5 which allows switch l26-l2| to open and break the circuit through magnet 63 to release lever 66 and permit a quick return of the typewheel resulting in a clear print. When the typewheel is returned and the card removed, switches 62-62 and 66-46 will again be closed to energize magnet Ill and switch 66-66 will be reopened.

An impulse switch I24-l25 is actually to be operated in the well known manner by the cus-- tomary impulse programming device of a master clock but is shown in the wiring diagram for clarity. The impulse switch l2li25 will be closed momentarily between 9:00 a. m. and 9:01 a. m. to close a circuit from wire H through wire I26, magnet 21, wire I21, switch IOZ-IDG, wire I28 and the impulse switch to the negative lead HI. Thus magnet 21 is energized pulling arm 25 downward i'or pawl 24 to engage another tooth in ratchet 22. At exactly 9:01 the master clock opens switch |24 |25 deenergizing magnet 21 and permitting pawl 24 to turn ratchet 22 one step which will in turn rotate the typewheel one division to bring the first T into printing position.

Rotation of ratchet 22 one step at 9:01 will also move pin 96 past cam 98 opening switch |02l06 and closing switch I02-l06. A circuit is then made from wire H0 through wire [26, magnet 21, wire I21, switch i02-i06 to Wire I09. As previously mentioned the master clock sends an impulse through this circuit once each minute which will advance ratchet 22, and therefore typewheel 36, one step each minute. Thus at 9:02 the second T will be moved into printing position and so on until 9:05 at which time the first on the typewheel is moved into position and cam 95 moves away from lever 94 to move the red portion of the ribbon into printing position. At 9:10 the iirst on the typewheel will move into printing position. The typewheel will continue to he stepped every minute and to print the time elapsed from 9:00

complished by operation oi switch 66-86.

Ratchet 22 has 120 teeth so that it will be turned one-half revolution per hour of stepping. Gear 3| will be rotated at the same speed as ratchet 22 but will act through gear 32 to turn the typewheel 35 one revolution per hour. Therefore, at 9:56 pin 91 on ratchet 22 will engage cam 99 to open switch lll1l03 breaking the printing The typewheel continues to be stepped once a minute but insertion of a card into the machine will not eilect printing thereon.

From 9:56 a. in. through 9:59 a. m. cam 40 (Fig. 1) acts through roller 4| to move the typewheel into position to print in the p. In. column printing means remains inoperative during this time. At 9:59 a. m. pin 91 will engage cam 98 breaking switch I02--|05 and closing switch l02-|06. Thus the stepping mech The master clock will send a single impulse through switch i2ll25 to advance the ratchet one step at 12 noon. The typewheel will then rotate to bring the asterisk into printing position, cam 96 will engage lever 84 to bring the blue portion of the ribbon into position, and pin 91 will pass cam 98 closing switch 161-461. The

mechanism one step and thereafter the mechanism is stepped regularly once each minute as described in connection with the a. in. operation. At 1:56 the switch llll ill is broken and from 1:56 through 1:59 the typewheel is moved to position for the a. m. engages pawl 14 raise abutment 86 so that an inserted card will be positioned for the next days line. At 1:59 the regular impulse circuit is broken and the stepping mechanism will the master clock sends an impulse through at 8 a. 1n. the next day when the sequence is repeated.

It will be noted that the recorder is thus provided with a source of periodic electrical impulses occurring once each minute (wires Iii-I09) and a source of timed electrical impulses occurring at certain preselected times only (wires ll6 l28) indicated by the What is claimed is. 1. In a time recorder, a card'receiver for receiving and guiding a record card, record printing means, an endless tape, means carried by said said wheels being resiliently mounted and so positioned that inward pressure on the card will act through the abutment and tape to move said one wheel, record printing means, and means operable by said wheel during its movement to cause said printing means to make a printed record on said card.

3. In a time recorder for printing a record on a card, printing means, electrical means for operating said printing means, an energizing circuit for said electrical means, a guideway for receiving said card, an endless tape, supporting wheels for supporting said tape so that its surfaces are substantially parallel to said guideway, one or more of said wheels having a driving connection with the tape, time controlled means for rotating those wheels with such driving connections, an abutment extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the guideway and carried by said tape for engaging the card to locate it in printing position in said guideway according to the time period in which said card is inserted, a resilient mounting for another of said wheels positioned relative to said driving wheels and said guideway so that inward pressure on said card will act through the abutment and tape to move said resilient mounting, and a switch operable by such movement of said mounting to complete said energizing circuit.

4. Ina card time recorder, in combination, a card holder, an endless tape carrying a projection thereon extending substantially perpendicular therefrom to a point within said card holder to form an abutment for a record card inserted in said holder, a plurality of supports for said tape, time controlled means for advancing the tape over the supports in one direction at predetermined intervals to change the position of the abutment with respect to the holder so as to vary the depth to which the card may be inserted,

means for preventing reverse movement of said tape, a resilient mounting for one of said supports normally biased to keep the tape taut but movable in a predetermined path in response to slight pressure exerted through the inserted card on the abutment in such a direction as to cause a slack in the tape during the continuance of said pressure, record printing means for printing a time record on said card in a predetermined location depending on the position of the abutment, and means actuated by the movable support for rendering said printing means effective.

5. In a card time recorder, in combination, a card holder, an endless tape carrying a projection thereon extending substantially perpendicular from the surface to a point within said card holder to form an abutment for a record card inserted in said holder a plurality of rotatable guides for supporting said tape, time controlled means for advancing said tape over said rotatable guides in one direction at predetermined intervals to change the position of the abutment with respect to the holder so as to vary the depth to which the card may be inserted, means for preventing movement of the tape in the reverse direction, a rockable bell crank member forming a mounting forone of said guides, a spring for normally biasing said member to a home position to maintain the tape taut, the application of pressure through the card on the abutment overcoming the bias of the spring to rock the bell crank member out of said home position to cause a slack in the tape during the continuance of such pressure, record printing means for printing a time record on said card in predetermined location depending on the position of the abutment, and a switch actuated by the bell crank member in the course of its movement for rendering the printing means effective.

TORKEL EDWIN TORKELSON. 

